Coated article having metamaterial-inclusive layer, coating having metamaterial-inclusive layer, and/or method of making the same

Abstract

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles having a metamaterial-inclusive layer, coatings having a metamaterial-inclusive layer, and/or methods of making the same. Metamaterial-inclusive coatings may be used, for example, in low-emissivity applications, providing for more true color rendering, low angular color dependence, and/or high light-to-solar gain. The metamaterial material may be a noble metal or other material, and the layer may be made to self-assemble by virtue of surface tensions associated with the noble metal or other material, and the material selected for use as a matrix. An Ag-based metamaterial layer may be provided below a plurality (e.g., 2, 3, or more) continuous and uninterrupted layers comprising Ag in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, barrier layers comprising TiZrOx may be provided between adjacent layers comprising Ag, as a lower-most layer in a low-E coating, and/or as an upper-most layer in a low-E coating.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A coated article, comprising:
 a substrate supporting a multi-layer low-emissivity (low-E) coating; 
 wherein the multi-layer low-E coating comprises:
 a plurality of sub-stacks, each said sub-stack including, in order moving away from the substrate, a barrier layer, a lower contact layer comprising zinc oxide, a continuous and uninterrupted layer comprising Ag over and directly contacting the layer comprising zinc oxide, and an upper contact layer over and directly contacting the layer comprising Ag; and 
 a metamaterial-inclusive layer comprising Ag embedded in a matrix of material, the metamaterial-inclusive layer being closer to the substrate than each of the sub-stacks, the Ag in the metamaterial-inclusive layer being discontinuous. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The coated article of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-layer low-E coating comprises three sub-stacks. 
     
     
       3. The coated article of  claim 1 , wherein each barrier layer in each of the sub-stacks comprises titanium, zirconium, and oxygen. 
     
     
       4. The coated article of  claim 3 , wherein each upper contact layer in each of the sub-stacks comprises Ni, Cr, and/or Ti, or an oxide thereof. 
     
     
       5. The coated article of  claim 4 , wherein each upper contact layer in each of the sub-stacks comprises NiTiNbO. 
     
     
       6. The coated article of  claim 1 , wherein each upper contact layer in each of the sub-stacks comprises NiTiNbO. 
     
     
       7. The coated article of  claim 1 , wherein the metamaterial-inclusive layer is sandwiched between and directly contacted by layers comprising TiZrOx. 
     
     
       8. The coated article of  claim 7 , wherein an uppermost layer of the multi-layer low-E coating comprises TiZrOx. 
     
     
       9. The coated article of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix of material comprises Nb. 
     
     
       10. The coated article of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix of material comprises Si. 
     
     
       11. The coated article of  claim 1 , wherein glass-side a* and b* values of the coated article each vary by no more than 1.5 for angles ranging from 0-90 degrees from normal. 
     
     
       12. The coated article of  claim 11 , wherein glass-side a* and b* values of the coated article are between 0 and −1 for substantially all angles ranging from 0-90 degrees from normal. 
     
     
       13. The coated article of  claim 11 , having a light-to-solar gain (LSG) value of 2-3 and a C value of less than 2. 
     
     
       14. The coated article of  claim 1 , wherein glass-side a* and b* values of the coated article are between 0 and −1 for substantially all angles ranging from 0-90 degrees from normal. 
     
     
       15. The coated article of  claim 1 , having a light-to-solar gain (LSG) value of 2-3 and a C value of less than 2. 
     
     
       16. The coated article of  claim 1 , wherein the Ag in the metamaterial-inclusive layer is substantially spherical and distributed throughout the matrix material. 
     
     
       17. The coated article of  claim 1 , wherein the Ag in the metamaterial-inclusive layer is substantially ellipsoidal and distributed throughout the matrix material. 
     
     
       18. A coated article, comprising:
 a substrate supporting a multi-layer low-emissivity (low-E) coating; 
 wherein the multi-layer low-E coating comprises:
 a plurality of sub-stacks, each said sub-stack including, in order moving away from the substrate, a barrier layer comprising TiZrOx, a lower contact layer comprising zinc oxide, a continuous and uninterrupted layer comprising Ag over and directly contacting the layer comprising zinc oxide, and an upper contact layer over and directly contacting the layer comprising Ag; and 
 a metamaterial-inclusive layer comprising Ag embedded in a matrix of material, wherein the Ag in the metamaterial-inclusive layer is substantially spherical or ellipsoidal and distributed throughout the matrix material. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The coated article of  claim 18 , wherein each upper contact layer in each of the sub-stacks comprises Ni, Cr, and/or Ti, or an oxide thereof. 
     
     
       20. The coated article of  claim 18 , wherein the metamaterial-inclusive layer is sandwiched between and directly contacted by layers comprising TiZrOx. 
     
     
       21. The coated article of  claim 1 , wherein an uppermost layer of the multi-layer low-E coating comprises TiZrOx. 
     
     
       22. The coated article of  claim 21 , wherein a layer directly adjacent the substrate comprises TiZrOx. 
     
     
       23. The coated article of  claim 18 , wherein the Ag in the metamaterial-inclusive layer exhibits surface plasmon effects, and wherein the Ag in the continuous and uninterrupted layer comprising Ag does not exhibit surface plasmon effects. 
     
     
       24. A coated article, comprising:
 a substrate supporting a multi-layer low-emissivity (low-E) coating; 
 wherein the multi-layer low-E coating comprises:
 at least one sub-stack including, in order moving away from the substrate, a barrier layer, a lower contact layer comprising zinc oxide, a continuous and uninterrupted layer comprising Ag over and directly contacting the layer comprising zinc oxide, and an upper contact layer over and directly contacting the layer comprising Ag; and 
 a synthetic layer self-assembled by heat treatment, the synthetic layer comprising discontinuous island-like formations of material embedded in a matrix, the synthetic layer being closer to the substrate than the at least one sub-stack, each said island-like formation having a major distance of 10-300 nm. 
 
 
     
     
       25. The coated article of  claim 24 , wherein the barrier layer in the at least one sub-stack comprises Ti, Zr, and/or an oxide thereof. 
     
     
       26. The coated article of  claim 24 , further comprising an uppermost layer comprising Ti, Zr, and/or an oxide thereof. 
     
     
       27. The coated article of  claim 25 , wherein the synthetic layer is sandwiched between and directly contacted by layers comprising TiZrOx. 
     
     
       28. The coated article of  claim 27 , wherein the layer comprising TiZrOx above the synthetic layer is the barrier layer in the at least one sub-stack. 
     
     
       29. The coated article of  claim 28 , wherein the layer comprising TiZrOx below the metamaterial-inclusive layer is directly on and in contact with the substrate. 
     
     
       30. The coated article of  claim 24 , wherein the upper contact layer in the at least one sub-stack comprises Ni and Ti. 
     
     
       31. A method of making a coated article including a multi-layer low-E coating supported by a glass substrate, the method comprising:
 forming a plurality of sub-stacks on the substrate, each said sub-stack including, in order moving away from the substrate, a barrier layer, a lower contact layer comprising zinc oxide, a continuous and uninterrupted layer comprising Ag over and directly contacting the layer comprising zinc oxide, and an upper contact layer over and directly contacting the layer comprising Ag; and 
 forming a metamaterial-inclusive layer comprising Ag embedded in a matrix of material, the metamaterial-inclusive layer being closer to the substrate than each of the sub-stacks, the Ag in the metamaterial-inclusive layer being discontinuous. 
 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 31 , wherein each barrier layer in each of the sub-stacks comprises titanium, zirconium, and oxygen. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 31 , wherein each upper contact layer in each of the sub-stacks comprises Ni, Cr, and/or Ti, or an oxide thereof. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 31 , wherein each upper contact layer in each of the sub-stacks comprises NiTiNbO. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 31 , wherein glass-side a* and b* values of the coated article each vary by no more than 1.5 for angles ranging from 0-90 degrees from normal. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 35 , wherein glass-side a* and b* values of the coated article are between 0 and −1 for substantially all angles ranging from 0-90 degrees from normal. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 36 , having a light-to-solar gain (LSG) value of 2-3 and a C value of less than 2. 
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 31 , having a light-to-solar gain (LSG) value of 2-3 and a C value of less than 2. 
     
     
       39. A method of making a coated article including a multi-layer low-E coating supported by a glass substrate, the method comprising:
 forming a plurality of sub-stacks on the substrate, each said sub-stack including, in order moving away from the substrate, a barrier layer comprising an oxide of Ti and/or Zr, a lower contact layer comprising zinc oxide, a continuous and uninterrupted layer comprising Ag over and directly contacting the layer comprising zinc oxide, and an upper contact layer over and directly contacting the layer comprising Ag; and 
 causing a synthetic layer to self-assemble via heat treatment, the synthetic layer, once self-assembled, comprising discontinuous island-like formations of material including Ag embedded in a matrix, wherein the Ag in the synthetic layer is substantially spherical or ellipsoidal and distributed throughout the matrix. 
 
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the synthetic layer is sandwiched between and directly contacted by layers comprising an oxide of Ti and/or Zr. 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 39 , wherein an uppermost layer of the multi-layer low-E coating comprises an oxide of Ti and/or Zr. 
     
     
       42. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the Ag in synthetic layer exhibits surface plasmon effects, and wherein the Ag in the continuous and uninterrupted layer comprising Ag does not exhibit surface plasmon effects. 
     
     
       43. A method of making a coated article including a multi-layer low-E coating supported by a glass substrate, the method comprising:
 forming at least one sub-stack including, in order moving away from the substrate, a barrier layer, a lower contact layer comprising zinc oxide, a continuous and uninterrupted layer comprising Ag over and directly contacting the layer comprising zinc oxide, and an upper contact layer over and directly contacting the layer comprising Ag; and 
 forming a metamaterial-inclusive layer comprising Ag embedded in a matrix of material, the metamaterial-inclusive layer being closer to the substrate than the at least one sub-stack, the Ag in the metamaterial-inclusive layer being discontinuous. 
 
     
     
       44. The method of  claim 43 , wherein the barrier layer in the at least one sub-stack comprises TiZrOx. 
     
     
       45. The coated article of  claim 43 , further comprising an uppermost layer comprising TiZrOx. 
     
     
       46. The coated article of  claim 43 , wherein the metamaterial-inclusive layer is sandwiched between and directly contacted by layers comprising TiZrOx. 
     
     
       47. The coated article of  claim 46 , wherein the layer comprising TiZrOx above the metamaterial-inclusive layer is the barrier layer in the at least one sub-stack. 
     
     
       48. The coated article of  claim 47 , wherein the layer comprising TiZrOx below the metamaterial-inclusive layer is directly on and in contact with the substrate. 
     
     
       49. The coated article of  claim 43 , wherein the upper contact layer in the at least one sub-stack comprises Ni and Ti.